


Sleeping in Tartarus

by PerseusHuntress



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 14:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16834426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerseusHuntress/pseuds/PerseusHuntress





	Sleeping in Tartarus

“Did you seriously think I slept in Tartarus?” Reyes stared at her in bewilderment. 

“Kinda? To be honest, I thought you had a swanky evil genius lair behind one of the walls. Lots of crushed velvet, drapery that kind of thing. I’ve gotta admit I am mildly disappointed” Ryder shrugged looking around the immaculate apartment. Unlike everything else on Kadara it was modern with clean sharp lines, the furniture whilst sparse was clearly expensive. Being the Charlatan had its perk. Reyes had some serious buying power.

“Where did you get all this stuff?” She asked eyeing up a particularly squishy pouf covered in heather grey wool.

“I don’t have a habit of giving away trade secrets” he winked and disappeared behind an honest to god bar installed half way down the left wall. “What are you drinking?”

“Something that wasn’t illicitly obtained? I have a reputation to maintain” she puffed out her chest facetiously.

“Well Madam Pathfinder, you’re shit out of luck. I too have a reputation to maintain.” Reyes resurfaced with a bottle of whiskey. “Besides, your reputation is already in tatters”

“And I know exactly who to blame for that” she looked at him pointedly.

“You wound me, Ryder.” He slid a glass towards her.

“You’ll live.” She laughed, lifting herself up onto the bar stool.

Reyes leant against the bar top, directly opposite her, watching her and smiling, swirling the amber liquid in the glass.

“So… did you actually want something?” she sipped her drink, feeling distinctively uncomfortable. This whole thing, whatever it was, was still awkward and new. She’s been away on Elaaden for weeks now, and the original heady punch drunk feeling had worn off.

“Do I need a reason to see you?” his smile broadened, but his eyes dulled.

“Honestly? I don’t know.” She refused to meet his eyes, she knew the moment she did she would be lost again, she needed a clear head for this. 

“I just wanted to see you Ryder, but if you’ve changed your mind…” Reyes trailed off with an exhausted sigh.

Ryder blinked at him “About what? You?”

“Us” he spoke evenly .

Ryder looked out of the window at the sprawling mess of the city beneath them, swallowing hard she said, “Well that’s the thing, Reyes, I am not sure if there is an us?”

He was silent for a long time, before draining his glass “Do you want there to be an us?”

“Quite desperately actually.“ She answered grimacing at her own vulnerability.

"Well then…” Reyes flashed her a brilliant smile before jumping over the bar with surprising grace.

“Did you just… did you just vault the fucking bar, Vidal?” Ryder stared at him in horror.

“Seemed suitably dramatic” he shrugged laughing. 

“I think you scratched the surface,” she said tracing the deep groove his belt left on the polished driftwood.

“The things I do for love!” Reyes sighed melodramatically.

Ryder’s eyebrows shot up “Love, huh?”

Reyes recoiled for a split second before regaining control. He took a step towards her, pinning Ryder against the bar, his lips brushing against her ear “That, or maybe you’ve been away for 3 weeks and we were interrupted last time”

“You’re such an asshole…” she murmured breathlessly as he worked his way slowly down her neck “Don’t you dare try and distract me like this…”

“I am afraid, Ryder,” he trailed kisses along her collarbone relishing the sounds he was eliciting from her “I cannot be held responsible for your life choices.”

“I hate you, you know that right?” the pitch of her voice rose as he dragged his teeth across sensitive skin.

“No, you don’t.” Reyes found his way back up to her face, his eyes burning.

“Don’t tell me how to live…” she protested weakly, but it was too late, she already lost. He kissed her, warm and hungry, the whiskey tingling on her tongue.

Reyes broke away for a moment, breath ragged “You aren’t getting rid of me that easy Pathfinder, I’m yours”

“Do I get a say in this matter?” an elated laugh bubbled up out of her.

“No” he smirked before lifting her up and sinking back into the kiss.


End file.
